Website 101 Podcast

Join Mike and Sean as they delve into the early days of Sean's web development career, from his first website in 1997 to becoming a professional in 2008. Sean's first website was a Geocities website built in 1997 First client website built in 2008 Started full time self-employment in 2013 Provided official support to end-users of ExpressionEngine What does Sean like the least/most about web d...

Join us as we learn from Oliver Scherndorfer, a UI designer and typographer, as he shares his knowledge on typography and how it can impact your website's design and readability. We discuss different font types, common mistakes to avoid, and tips for selecting the right font for your website. We start off by defining what Typography is. Then the various types of fonts including serif and sans...

Learn all about Owen Craig's journey from novice developer to bootcamp instructor. Why he transitioned from social media manager to development, why Owen chose a bootcamp and how he later became an instructor at that same bootcamp. What is a bootcamp Why a bootcamp vs other paths Favorite part of web development Least liked part of web development How Owen became an instructor at Juno college...

We talk to Laura Bailey of Revy Web Design all about Wordpress, her journey from IT technical support in the UK to running a Wordpress agency with employees in a small town in British Columbia Canada. Laura, talks about her role as a business owner, website designer, and building bespoke websites for her clients. The difference between a pre-built theme and a theme builder such as Elementor. Laura...

Website optimization expert Andrew Welch discusses optimizing your website performance and speed. Site speed is a ranking signal for google. Ensuring your website is fast and efficient can give you a boost in your SEO results. We also discuss: How optimizing your site can improve your bounce rate Contributing factors to a slow website\ What you can do to improve your site without touching code Lim...

We have a short survey for listeners that we will use to plan season 5. This will help us to choose episodes that our listeners want to hear more about. Stay tuned to the end of the episode for a bonus tip to help you improve your website. The survey will be available anytime into the future. If you find it while listening to archived episodes, please fill it out. Show Links Listener Survey More W...

Returning guest Angie Herrara discusses alternatives to google analytics for tracking website visitors. We discuss Fathom Analytics and Stat Counter. Reasons to consider using an alternative to google analytics include concerns about privacy and a simpler, easier to understand interface. Google is very complex and difficult to understand Fathom Analytics is privacy oriented Fathom and Stat Counter...

In this episode Mike and Sean talk with returning guest Gaurav about content marketing; what it is, why it's important, and how to do it. Gaurav starts off by defining what content marketing is and why it's important. Later we discuss the similarities and differences between content marketing and advertising. Funnels Advertising vs content marketing SEO Long tail keywords Newsletter and blog...

In this episode of Website 101, learn actionable ways to improve your website's performance without a full redesign. Sean and Mike discuss content audits, usability testing, design improvements, and more. We talk about ways that you can improve your website by making small changes yourself at no cost. Some changes may require a web developer but these will be low cost but with high value. A w...

We discuss accessibility, with Matsuko Friedland, in websites, why it's important both for users and website owners, as well as some tips on how to ensure your website is accessible. Matsuko starts off by explaining what accessibility is and why it's important. We also talk about what a screen reader is and how a screen reader works. Why should we care about accessibility other than the legal...

Today Marlene Oliveira of moflow discusses the value of conducting a website content strategy, and why you should do it before anything else. What is content strategy? Measuring the success of a website build S.M.A.R.T. goals How to collect and document material for a content strategy The format of a content strategy The value of consulting with internal stakeholders What communication looks like...

In this episode Sean and Mike discuss red flags to be aware of when looking for a web developer. Conversely we also talk about things that clients do that are red flags for web developers. A lot of what we talk about is common sense things like not interrupting people and appropriate response time, but common sense is not always as common as we would like. Show Links Web Jargon part 1 Web Jargon p...

Learn how to effectively communicate with your web developer, setting expectations and measuring success. Tips for both clients and developers on navigating the relationship. How much does a website cost? Think about what you want from your website How to measure success of a website Have realistic expectations Not all feature requests are equal Free isn't free! Agree on how you'll communicate thr...

In this episode of Website 101, Sean Smith and Mike Mele discuss the importance of avoiding the phrase 'click here' in link labeling and its impact on SEO and user experience. Mike gives a brief history of where Click here comes from. Mike has advice on how to make your links stand out so that click here is not necessary. we also go over the negative SEO impact of using click here. We al...

In this episode, learn why having your own website is crucial for businesses in today's digital age, and how to leverage social media to promote it instead of replacing it. What are some benefits of having social media accounts at all? What are some drawbacks of making social media accounts your primary Web presence? Having your own website gives you full control over your content. Don't be b...

Learn why you should conduct a content audit on your website to improve SEO, optimize content, and streamline your site structure. Get expert advice and practical tips in this episode. A discussion of what is included in content audit including orphan links. A content audit is a good opportunity to prune outdated content. Mike explains how to use a spreadsheet and common columns to include when do...

Sean and Mike discuss the benefits of having a regular maintenance plan for your website, and having a Web developer on a retainer contract. What is a maintenance plan / retainer? Retainers can help with budget limitations Potential forms that maintenance plans can take Benefits of having a developer on retainer Drawbacks of not having a developer on retainer Show Links Why Your Website's CMS...

In this episode, Sean and Mike discuss the importance of using custom email addresses for your business. They explain how to set up CNAME records to connect your company domain with Google Suite or other email services like Gmail and Hotmail. Why shouldn’t I use a free email address that ends with @hotmail.com or @gmail.com? How you can use a free email service while keeping your company domain na...

Do you have a backup strategy for your website? If you value your website content, you need to have regular backups. In this episode, Sean and Mike discuss what a backup strategy is, why you need one, and what options are available to make it happen. What is a backup? Why do you need a backup solution? Backup service options How does a backup service work? Be sure to test your backup solution. Exa...

Mike and Sean discuss the pros and cons of extending a content management system with plugins. What is a plugin? Why might a website owner use a plugin? Why might a developer use a plugin? Some of our favourite plugins The dangers of using plugins What to consider when choosing a plugin Have a strategy for when plugins fail Show Links What is a CMS? Veto Ctrl+S Field Manager Template Comments Stru...

In this episode, we discuss the challenges of vacations for web developers and their clients, offering advice on how to prepare for potential emergencies, setting expectations, and effective communication. web developer should have a system in place for vacations logins/passwords available for backup person Define emergency work Plan important work for before or after vacations when the client goe...

In this episode of Website 101, guest Peter Kelly explains the benefits of using video for small businesses and shares tips on creating effective videos that boost SEO, build relationships with customers, and increase conversions. it's good for SEO Improved conversion rate on landing pages with video The most important part of video is audio quality transcribing video Show Links Tips for making vi...

A special out of sequence episode of the Website 101 Podcast where we talk about being nimble and adapting during an emergency Recording on Sunday April 26, 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 self isolation. We discuss how business is going and the impact that the Covid-19 epidemic and social isolation is having on us and our businesses. We then discuss some ideas and strategies to use for the...

In this episode Sean and Mike talk about WordPress with Gregory Hammond - plugins, security, themes and everything you want to know about WordPress What is WordPress, who owns it and what does open source mean? The difference between wordpress.org and wordpress.com Do WordPress sites always get hacked? yes and no. How to choose the best plugin out of the myriad options available Pros and Cons of W...

This episode delves into why some businesses might not require a website and offers tips on how to measure the success of your site in helping your company grow. What are the reasons you are building a website? Is it because everyone is doing it? What do you want your website to accomplish? You need a good business reason to have a website. Analytics Conversions Reasons why your business doesn't n...